MB&F - Legacy Machine No 2

MB&F has done it again - with Legacy Machine Number 2, it changed from one-engine-two-dials to two-engines-one-dial.

Max calls it Kinetic Art - art in motion and I cannot agree more. Watching the two escapement beats simultaneously driving the watch is amazing. In actual fact, LM2 continued from LM1 with both technical experts Jean-Francois Mojon and Kari Voutilainen continuing from LM1. There are a lot of similarities but the one-to-two was changed to two-for-one. Coming in three metals, the platinum with blue dial is limited to 18 pieces while the rose gold and white gold versions are unlimited although production is limited to a very small number per year.

Inspired by the Duality by Philippe Dufour, Max felt he needed to create a watch with double balance wheel. What the team came up with not only pays homage to the past but also created a watch where two balance wheels driving one single gear train. Without going too much into the technical, the differential basically averages out the variation of the two balance wheels.

The lacquered dial is at the 12 o'clock position and the differential at the 6 o'clock position. The two balance wheels are suspended over the dial and the differential. The platinum comes with a blue (PVD) dial.

The rose gold version comes with a silver dial. Notice the high domed sapphire crystal.

The movement is well finished - very compact and reminiscent of a three quarter plate.

Movement comes with 44 jewels, a power reserve of 45 hours and is hand finished. Balance oscillates at 18,000 vph.

Here's a wristshot. I thought the weight is more balanced on the LM1. Size of the watch is 44mm for both but the LM2 is slightly thicker.

Enjoy this sketch of the watch.

All I can say is that the LM2 is a great continuation of the LM1 and it is exquisite! If only I could afford one. Thanks to The Hourglass for the invite and also Max for explaining his new Legacy Machine. Can't wait for the next HM...

Harry Winston - Opus 12

The Opus series of watches by Harry Winston started in 2000 is one of the most exotic watch collaboration in the history of mechanical watchmaking.

Until of course Max Busser came along with MB&F. The Opus series features watch making at its finest - matching established watchmakers with the House of Harry Winston and developing one of a kind, limited edition timepiece that is instantaneously recognizable. Some of the more notable Opus are Opus 3 by Vianney Halter, Opus 5 by Felix Baumgartner, Opus 6 by Greubel Forsey and Opus 7 by Andreas Strehler. Today I feature the Opus 12 developed with Emmanuel Bouchet.

The watch has a small central sweeping seconds and with retrograde 5 minute counter. Just beneath the retrograde minute is the power reserve indicator. There are 12 indices representing the hour and also the 5 minute.

So how does one tell time with the Opus 12? Notice the blued indices on the level and twelve o'clock markers? One is shorter (11) than the other. The shorter blue marker indicates the hours. The longer blue index indicates the minutes. In this instance, time is 11.02. Notice the gears just below the bezel? When the retrograde minutes hits 5, the blue index at twelve will rotate down and the blue index at the 1 o'clock position will rotate up signifying 11.05. I did not manage to take a video of the changing indices but I can tell you they are quite marvelous to watch.

On the movement side, the finishing is evidently fine and houses the hand wound movement which possesses a 32 hours power reserve. Limited to 120 pieces, this white gold piece is massive on the wrist but sits well. The piece we reviewed is a working piece.

For more information, kindly go to the HW webpage. There you can find a link to the video of the watch. Authorized retailer is The HourGlass.